Mediaset España has launched legal proceedings against Antena 3 over the recently introduced ‘AlaZ’ finale in the quiz show ‘Pasapalabra’. The broadcaster argues that the segment closely resembles ‘El Rosco’, a game round whose rights Mediaset holds through production company MC&F. MC&F filed the lawsuit just weeks after ‘AlaZ’ replaced ‘El Rosco’ on Antena 3, following a turbulent period of intellectual property disputes.
Mediaset and MC&F argue that ‘AlaZ’ differs too little from ‘El Rosco’ to qualify as a distinct format. They cite a basic court ruling, judgment 1639/2022, issued in November 2022 and recently upheld by the Supreme Court, which established the unique elements of ‘El Rosco’. The ruling identified a head-to-head contest between two participants and alphabet-based questions, as well as color-coded scoring and a limited time to answer. The plaintiffs argue that ‘AlaZ’ retains these core features, despite being presented as an adaptation of the Swiss game ‘DallAZetA’.
The competition’s structure is a basic point of contention. The original Swiss version has a single contestant playing alone, while Antena 3’s Spanish adaptation still pits two players against each other, echoing ‘El Rosco’. La Vanguardia has described ‘AlaZ’ as based on a format from Swiss public television and noted that the Spanish version retains the head-to-head contest. The lawsuit also points to similarities in the visual cues for right and wrong answers, along with the competitive mechanics, as evidence that the new round is not sufficiently original. Mediaset and MC&F call the resemblances “insurmountable” and maintain that Antena 3’s changes are largely superficial.
Antena 3’s programme coverage presents ‘AlaZ’ as a new duel between contestants, with answers arranged around the alphabet. The broadcaster has highlighted the option to work through the alphabet in reverse and the use of additional clues, features it says add complexity to the round. Its October coverage described David and Moisés competing in the finale, including an episode in which David recorded 14 consecutive correct answers.
The round’s scoring directly affects the contest and its jackpot. Antena 3 reported that David gave 22 correct answers in one episode, while Moisés made three errors. In another episode, David’s pronunciation of “carborara” instead of “carbonara” cost him the chance to compete for a jackpot of €1.18 million, although he still won the episode. These broadcast examples show how ‘AlaZ’ works in practice. The companies’ dispute concerns whether its format is sufficiently distinct from ‘El Rosco’.
MC&F is leading the legal action, while Mediaset España has indicated that it may support the Dutch company in defending its interests, given its rights to broadcast ‘El Rosco’ in Spain. The outcome could have impressive implications for ‘Pasapalabra’ and the contested finale formats. The case also highlights the challenges Spanish broadcasters face in protecting television formats while adapting international concepts for local audiences.
The legal battle follows recent changes to ‘Pasapalabra’ that have drawn industry attention. Antena 3 continued broadcasting and publishing coverage of ‘AlaZ’ episodes in October 2026, with reports tracking contestants’ correct-answer runs and mistakes, as well as their effects on the jackpot. The show’s move to a new final round coincided with efforts to maintain audience engagement amid strong competition from major events. For more on how ‘Pasapalabra’ has navigated these challenges, see coverage of its format changes and guest strategies in this related article.
Disputes over television formats are common in Spain, particularly when rival networks adapt or modify successful shows. Legal protection for such formats depends heavily on proving originality and clear differentiation. The Mediaset España and Antena 3 case could set a precedent for future conflicts in the Spanish media field, as broadcasters seek competitive advantages through format new idea and adaptation.
